AlanSkÃrare

Fully agreed. Mapou will be the balls.

Seems like he's finally getting to grips with it.

He's shit, we can do a lot better, this season has been abysmal and most of it his fault. I still want to like him and I'm happy for him today. We played some decent stuff today and on Thursday. Keep it up and he can start regaining my confidence again. Big, big win today.

One of my absolute favourite players. He's shown heart and desire in recent weeks, coming back from his injuries and being on the bench for long periods, he's done superb this year. Such a creative force, so much intent and energy and one of the few players exploiting space and running at defenders. Has to start.

Coming right, scoring a fair amount through the middle, as expected. If we can get Marveaux centrally and have Hatem back, he'll get more.

COME ON ADAM

How haven't we scored.

And the fucking hoofing and not moving part is unbearable. Fulhams last move was better than we've done all season.

So disjointed.

Should we lost today, Thursday and sunday, our season will be so utterly pathetic and the relegation threat so obvious. Does anyone think he won't be sacked should that happen? Are they content with us finishing 17th?

Understatement of the year. Oh so it's not that we've been beaten in two games. Or have we given up the idea of winning away?

But somehow he's hero worshipped? Because he's f***ing brilliant.

Our new number 6? http://www.nufcdirect.com/nufc-french-player-t-shirt-mens-374823?colcode=37482371

Their away record is decent, 3 wins, 6 draws and 6 defeats. However, I'd press them high. They're not exactly a side built around pace and would find it hard to harm us on the counter with Yanga-Mbiwa covering up. Hoping for this: Krul Debuchy Taylor Yanga-Mbiwa Santon Cabaye Sissoko Gouffran Marveaux Jonas Cissé I think Tioté will be back and displace Marveaux from that though.

Agreed. They looked as if they've grown into their roles and understood the dynamics of their "partnership" last night. Benfica struggled to get ahold of Sissoko who drifted quite intelligently in and out of his position. It allowed for Cissé to sneak in behind and drag them out of position. If only we hade someone else making runs in behind, we'd cause a hell lot more trouble.

Cabaye-Sissoko Marveaux Is what I want to see now. It will never happen as it lacks "a tackle", but I'd love to see us try it.

Feel sorry for him. Seems like such a likeable guy and really likes the club. Than pass last night was criminal and really cost us. Hope he rediscovers his early season form and doesn't lose all confidence.

Gaitan and Rodrigo were both very impressive, the latter was Benfica's best player before being subbed. Cardozo for me; there is a reason he's still in Portugal despite scoring so much. Very limited and was largely dealt with by our CB's. Having slept on it, our performance was very good up until Santon's disastrous pass, which I still think derives from our lack of movement, it wasn't the only time during the game that their pressure got to us and we lost the ball in a vulnerable situation, this one of course being more than vulnerable. That goal took the sting out of us, but at 2-1 they weren't satisfied. We could have done with some pace (Obertan or Campbell) to threaten them, but instead, Pardew did nothing. That's one of the few aspects he got wrong. Game is actually very open for next week, especially if we have 2-3 players back. Imagine if Hatem could be involved, I'd actually believe for real. Have to recharge and pick ourselves up for Sunday now, as big a game as this was, if not bigger.

Huge game this. Have to win it.

He's a little bit of experience away from a very complete defender. Has a few moments but still looks every inch the player I thought he would be. His pace is vital for us.

Could just be they were a very good team that legitimately pushed us back at times? No complaints from me tonight, thought he set us up well, started both halves strongly, which has been a weakness but was undone by the kind of mistakes you can't really legislate for, and the Perch injury came at a really bad time. We were never going to keep up the first 20 minutes against a quality side like them, just doesn't happen. I'd say that's true to some extent, still, let's not build them up to something they aren't.

Because he's practically being used as a forward alongside Cissé at times, and he has to be the target for Krul's punts up front.

While he can't be faulted for the mistakes, inviting the pressure that we always do (it's not just today, it's whoever we play), will eventually cost you in terms of mistakes and bad luck. If a team has 20 shots and earns 12 corners or whatever it was tonight, the chance of someone handling the ball inside the box is there, no matter who you are or who you play, is increasing by the count. We weren't struck by lightning tonight, we were punished for mistakes in and around our box because that's where we invited them to play the majority of the game.

Their second goal derives from our biggest problem: the lack of movement. It's fucking pass and stand and watch all the time apart from the occasional attempt from Sissoko. It was a shit pass from Santon, no mistake about that, but you don't see many teams getting cornered in their own half to the extent we do. Still think tonight has been a Pardew classic, not defending a result, but inviting a turnaround. It's the mentality and footballing approach that invites the pressure and surrender of possession. We never have any options and hence lose the ball wherever we are. It's unbearable to watch and has been for some time.